Tim and Tyra's Reunion, Season 5
by FNLfanatic
Summary: Tim and Tyra's scenes from the last two episodes of season 5. Chapter 1 is from Tim's POV and Chapter 2 will be from Tyra's.
1. Chapter 1

Tim Riggins and Tyra Collette's Reunion (Tim's perspective)

I am working the night shift at Buddy's, and the place is hopping. I am busy preparing drinks and pouring beers. There's this regular, Bobby, sitting at the bar, yapping about not getting his beer quickly enough and then he makes the mistake of calling me jailbird. I'm already angry all the time, and this is just what I need to set me off. I grab him by the scruff of the neck and tell him if he ever calls me that again I'm going to end him. As I shake him a little, I hear a voice – her voice – echoing the words Bobby just said to me, and I can't help it, a smile creeps across my face as I turn to see Tyra Collette coming towards me. She stops right next to Bobby and yells at him to move, and he does, because no one disobeys Tyra Collette. I haven't stopped smiling since I heard her voice. She's stunningly beautiful, maybe even more so now then when I last saw her, almost two years ago. Her hair is a beautiful reddish brown now and college obviously agrees with her. She says a quiet hi to me, and I am so thunderstruck by her beauty and her actually being here, I can't do more than nod at her.

I quickly arrange to take my break and find Tyra sitting outside the bar on top of the picnic table. I hand her one of the two beers and hop up next to her. Tyra tells me how Mindy is mad at her for not being around much since Stevie arrived, and I ask why she doesn't just come home. I don't let on that from the moment I saw her walk into Buddy's, I've been thinking about her and our relationship, the messy romantic relationship of our early high school days, and the friendship we developed later on in high school. Tyra Collette has been there for me more times than I can count over the years, in spite of the way I treated her at times. She's one of the few people that bothered to write to me in prison, I certainly didn't get any mail from Lyla. Tyra snaps me back to reality when she says she just doesn't like coming home. I know there is more to it, but I just nod. Tyra then goes on the mention that Mindy will need help when the twins are born, and this shocks me, as Billy didn't mention it to me earlier, but then I didn't really give Billy a chance to talk much. I've still got a burning anger towards Billy. When I confess that I don't know about the twins, Tyra stares at me, and asks "Billy didn't tell you?' I quickly tell her no, that Billy and I aren't on the best of terms right now and I make a beeline for the door of Buddy's claiming I have to clock back in, Tyra is staring at me, and I know she sees too much, she always has. I tell her how good it has been to see her, thank her for writing while I was in prison, and disappear back into the bar.

I'm sitting outside the trailer on Becky's mom's property when Tyra wanders up and plops down in the chair next to mine. I don't know how she found me, but the girl always did seem to have radar when it came to me, and truth be told, I'd always been able to find her too. We sit together in silence for a bit, then I reach in the cooler and grab two beers, twisting the tops off both and handing one to Tyra. She takes it, puts it aside, and calls me out about what I'm doing. She asks me if prison was really that bad, that I'm living on land that doesn't belong to me, in a trailer that doesn't belong to me, not talking to my brother and planning on moving to Alaska. I glance at her and tell her I wasn't raped in prison, if that's what she wants to know. Tyra, being Tyra, retorts with something flip about it being good to know that and thanks and it's like no time has passed at all. She still kicks my ass better than anyone I know and then she wants to know what the hell I am doing, and I give her a long look and decide I need to finally unburden myself and tell someone about the sacrifice I made. Tyra looks stunned and wants to know why I would do that. I tell her the truth, that I did it for Stevie and Mindy, but especially for Stevie. That I was making sure that my nephew had his father, since Billy and I never did. Tyra doesn't say anything else to me, she just stares at me and I can see she totally gets it. It feels so good to finally be able to talk to someone about all of this. Tyra and I have always been able to say anything to each other.

I don't know when I am going to see Tyra again before she returns to school, but the very next night, as I'm mopping the floor at Buddy's, she strolls in. I don't say anything, just glance up at her, and God, she's beautiful, is all I can think. Tyra gives me a speech about how she can't imagine how I could do what I did for Billy and she just wants to make sure I'm willing to throw away my relationship with Billy because he's been the only one who ever believed in me. I know she's right, but I still don't say anything. I'm a little annoyed that she's called me out on this. But, that's Tyra, and she always tells me what she thinks, even if I don't like it, and she's usually right. She turns to walk out, and I still haven't said anything. She walks out the door, and suddenly, I can't stand the thought that I may not see her again for a long time and I know I have to do something. I drop the mop and fly out the door, desperate to reach her before she leaves. She's crossing the parking lot to her truck and I call out her name. She stops and stares at me, not saying anything. I want so bad to touch her, but I'm not nearly as sure of myself as I was before prison. I really feel lost, but the idea of losing Tyra again gives me the courage to reach out, and my hand grips her neck. She stares intently at me and I breathe out, "Don't go" and rest my forehead to hers, with my hand still on her neck. I hear myself say, "Please don't go" and then amazingly, Tyra gently runs her hand over my hair and leans in to kiss my cheek, but I turn her head and bring her lips to mine. The kiss is gentle at first and then we both surrender ourselves to it and it feels like home it's so right. The next thing I know, we're back at the Airstream and for the first time in longer than I can remember, I feel a little like the old Tim Riggins. Tyra brings me a comfort I didn't even know I was looking for. We make love, and it's a little desperate on my part. I know I'm seeking redemption, and somehow, I knew Tyra would be the one to offer it to me.

I am awoken early the next morning when Tyra rolls over and tells me to wake up and I answer her with why, to which she tells me she wants me to take her someplace but she won't tell me where until we're on our way. Then she insists I get up, which I really don't want to do, I want to stay in bed with her and hold onto this moment as long as I can, but she climbs on my back and bounces on me and tells me to get up and get dressed, and I protest that I am up, but she's still draped over my back. We get in my truck and she finally tells me to take her to my land, I park the truck and we're leaning against it, and after a couple of minutes of staring out at the beautiful landscape, Tyra looks at me intently and just says, "Alaska, Tim?" and I can't help the smile that creeps across my face.

A couple days later, I'm at Billy and Mindy's working on my truck. I've decided that Tyra was right and I couldn't just leave my brother behind. I'm yelling at Billy about not taking care of my truck, and it's almost like old times. I know I have to find a way to let go of the anger and resentment I have been feeling towards Billy, and I am going to try my best to make it happen. Billy makes a remark about why do I even care about the truck since I'm moving to Alaska, and I announce that I may or may not be moving to Alaska. Billy wants to know if it's because of what happened with Tyra the other night and I'm a little shocked that he knows, so I don't say anything. He tells me he heard and with that, Mindy comes out with my crying nephew and tells me not to sleep with her sister because it's incest now. Billy and I both immediately correct her because there is no bloodline. Mindy thinks it's creepy that I made love with Tyra, conveniently forgetting that Tyra and I dated a LONG time before Billy and Mindy got together. I decide to distract both of them from talking about my love life by offering to take the still screaming Stevie for the day, which Mindy is only too happy to take me up on.

After my first stop, where I saw Coach, I head for the Collette residence. I haven't seen Tyra since the morning after we made love and I'm a little nervous. I know it's hard to believe, Tim Riggins nervous about a girl, but I'm not the same as I was in high school. Mrs. Collette is thrilled to see Stevie and yells for Tyra to get out here. Tyra comes out and sweet talks Stevie and tosses a casual,"Hi, Tim" my way. I'm a little hurt, but when Tyra comes to sit on the couch next to my chair, I ask her what she's doing the next night, and she tells me she's supposed to come to Buddy's to see Matt and Julie. I'm shocked to hear Seven is in town, and even more shocked when Tyra tells me they got engaged. Tyra leaves it at that and I'm now a little more hurt, not that I can show that, when Tyra bolts to change Stevie's diaper, I casually say that I will see her there then. She tells me of course and I gather Stevie once she is finished with him and go on my way.

Matt, Julie, and Tyra are sitting at a table at Buddy's the next night and I come over with a tray of beers, Jack Daniels, and several other drinks to toast the happy couple. We ask Matt how he proposed and where and Julie chimes in that he did it at the Alamo Freeze and Tyra and I kind of make fun of Seven for this, and he gets a little pissed at us, and then we toast again to the engagement, Tyra's success at school, and me being out on good behavior. Matt grabs Julie's hand to dance and I take a deep breath and ask Tyra to dance, holding my hand out to her, hoping against hope that she won't turn me down. I'm a little mad that I'm so unsure of myself with her, but I know how important this is. Tyra hesitates for a minute before she finally slides her hand into mine. We make our way to the dance floor and it feels so good to be holding her. I tell her how right it feels and Tyra tells me I'm just lonely. I'm lonely, but that's not what this is about. I really do feel like this was meant to be, and I tell her I'm not just lonely. Tyra shakes her head a little, and I'm destroyed. She tells me she can't do this with me again because she has plans. I jokingly tell her I don't to cover what I'm really feeling. We finish the dance, and we're wrapped together tightly. Tyra's head is resting on my shoulder and my arms are linked around her waist and it's just right, but I won't stand in her way. She's worked so hard to be where she is, but it won't change the fact that I want her back in my life, anyway I can get her.

Tyra is heading back to school in two days when she calls me and asks if we can take one last trip out to my land. I agree immediately and we set a time for me to go pick her up. I will take any time with her I can get. I pack up the cooler with a few beers and go to pick up Tyra. We get to my land quickly and we walk to the spot where I am tentatively planning to build my house, I'm carrying my chair and the cooler and Tyra is carrying her chair. We talk a little on the walk, and she tells me not to laugh at her, but she's thinking of going into politics, and I smirk, trying to keep the laughter out of my voice. She can tell though, and she calls me on it, and I swear I'm not laughing, but she knows I'm lying. I ask her if she means like Sarah Palin kind of stuff, which I know will make her angry and she snaps at me, calling me an ass and saying something about of all people and blah blah blah. We set up the chairs and sit and she tells me she means more like Mrs. Coach, but on a grander scale. I tell her I can totally see it for her. After a couple minutes of comfortable silence, I open the cooler to grab two beers and Tyra shocks me by saying my name to get my attention and then tells me how she's been in love with me since she was five and how she hasn't felt this good in a LONG time and I quickly agree with her about this being the best feeling I've had in awhile. Tyra says feeling this way scares her to death and how she has dreams. I tell her I know she has dreams and share my own dreams about my house and getting a real job and not ending up in prison ever again. Tyra smiles at me and I want her so much in this moment, but I know she needs to chase her dreams and I wouldn't ask her to throw them away because she would be miserable and I would never want that. I think another minute and quietly say that maybe one day our dreams can merge together. Tyra doesn't say anything else, she just looks contemplative for a minute, and I stare at her for a minute, thinking about how beautiful she is and how much she means to me. I know I love her, but I won't say it, because she might just decide to stay, and she owes it to herself not to. I hold my beer out for her to toast and she smiles even wider and twists the cap off and clinks her bottle to mine. For the first time since I got out of prison, I think things will be okay, and they might even be good. I'm going to do whatever I can do to make sure Tyra knows I am serious about her and my other plans. I'm going to be there for her and make her believe in me again.

We spend a little more time together before gathering our things for the ride home. I drive Tyra back to her house and I walk around to her side of the truck to open the door for her. She slips her hand into mine and I walk her to the door. I promise her I will be waiting for her when she's done school if she decides she wants to be with me. Tyra doesn't make any promises, and I don't need any. I have a good feeling she will be a part of my life for many years to come, and not just because we share a nephew. Tyra slips her arms around me and I bury my face into her neck. She eases away from me a little and brings her lips to mine and this kiss is hopeful and perfect and I leave her, promising to keep in touch.

Chapter 2 will be the same time frame from Tyra's POV. Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - Tyra's POV

It's only my second trip back to Dillon since I left almost two years ago for UT. Last time I came home was to see Stevie, and I managed to avoid everyone else and headed back to school after two days. This time, the very first thing I do is make a beeline for Buddy's because I know from Mindy that Tim is working there and I have this overwhelming need to see him. I wrote to him the whole time he was in prison, but I need to see for myself that he's okay. I walk in the door, and I just watch for a bit. It just so happens that when I walk in, Tim has some guy by the shirt and is threatening to end him for calling him jailbird. I can't help myself, so I pitch my voice over the noise of the crowd and repeat what the loser Tim is still holding by the shirt said to make him so angry and Tim's head whips around to watch me walk towards the bar. He's finally let go of the guy, and I stand beside him and order him to move, then I sit down and say hi. Tim still hasn't said a word, he just smiles at me and kind of nods.

Tim comes out for his break, bringing me a beer and sits down next to me on the picnic table. We talk a little about how Mindy is mad at me for not coming home more and Tim wants to know why I don't just come home. I tell him I just don't like coming home, but I don't tell him why. I can't be here and not get sucked back into Dillon, or more precisely, Tim Riggins. Tim accepts my answer, but I know he knows there is more to it than what I said. I mention the twins on the way, and Tim seems shocked by the news. He then confesses to me that he and Billy aren't really talking, and this upsets me. Those two have always been there for each other. I ask Tim if Billy came to see him, and Tim tells me he did, but somehow I don't believe him, and I always could tell when Tim was lying to me. He does tell me he appreciated me writing to him while he was doing his time and then he BOLTS back into the bar. I sit outside for a few minutes thinking over what he told me before I head back to my house.

Mindy, Billy, Becky, and Stevie come to the house for dinner. Momma starts asking Billy what he is planning to doing for money, since it doesn't look like he will have a team to coach next year, and I decide to change the subject and end the tension by announcing that I saw Tim the day before. Billy then asks me if Tim told me he was moving to Alaska. I'm floored. What on the HELL is Tim going to do in Alaska. I demand to know an answer from Billy and he tells me Tim is just having a hard time adjusting to life on the outside again and that it won't happen because Tim loves Texas. I mull this over for the rest of the night. Apparently, I got home just in time. I'm going to have to slip back into the bad cop roll with Tim and kick his ass a bit, it seems. For some reason, we got to a point where Tim actually listens to me.

I wait until the next day, and set out to find Tim. Mindy told me he's living in a trailer on Becky's mom's property and she tells me how to get there. I find Tim sitting outside the trailer, beer in hand, cooler next to him, and take the chair next to him. I lay out his life for him, wondering if prison was really bad enough for him to be living on some random woman's land, in her trailer, not talking to Billy, and moving to Alaska. Tim retorts in his smartass way that if I want to know if he was raped in prison, he wasn't. I use my flippest tone to thank him for letting me know that before I demand to know what is going on with him. He gets quiet for a minute like he's thinking about what he should say. He then tells me that the chop shop was all Billy's idea and that he took the fall for it so Billy could be a father. I can't believe what I'm hearing and when Tim tells me he did for Stevie, I can't help it, I tumble the rest of the way back into love with him. I leave him, not mentioning my feelings, because I need time to think about all of this.

I meet Julie at Fran's to catch up and we get to talking about things, and I ask her about her and Matty and she tells me she misses him and she's not sure where they stand because they still talk, but he's in Chicago and she went to visit, but their relationship isn't really clearly defined at this point. Thinking of Tim, I tell her life is just harder when you really love someone. I know I need to do something to help Tim see the light about tossing away his relationship with his brother.

I head back to Buddy's, and I know Tim will be cleaning up by now and I know he will be the only one in the place. I walk in and Tim is getting ready to mop the floor. He glances my way when I come in but continues with his mopping. He does stop when I start talking. I tell him to make sure he's okay with losing his brother because Billy is the only family he has and one of the only people who has ever believed in him. I don't add that I'm on that list of people who believe in him, Tim doesn't need to know about that, it's safer for me if he doesn't. Tim doesn't say anything, and I turn to leave since it seems I wasted my breath and time. I am halfway across the parking lot when I hear my name called out one time. I stop and turn back and Tim is making his way to me. We stare at each other for a minute and he looks so lost and unsure, but he finally reaches out and puts his hand on my neck. I close my eyes because I still love the way he touches me, even after all this time. He asks me not to go and I reach out to touch him, running my hand through his hair as he rests his forehead to mine almost begging me not to go. I plan on kissing him on the cheek, but he guides my lips to his and I don't stop him. I don't think I could stop him if wanted to, I love him and he needs me. I can't resist this man, especially when he seems so broken. I know I am going to offer him solace anyway I can. The kiss quickly escalates and before I know it, we are in the trailer. I take the lead and pull him into my arms and just hold him for a minute. I kiss his neck, letting my lips trail over his whole neck and then bringing my lips to his. We come together on the bed and it's so different from the last time we were together. It's slow and sweet and maybe just a little bit desperate. We fall asleep together afterwards, and I somehow know he's sleeping better tonight then he has since he got out.

The sun streaming through the windows wakes me and I lay next to Tim watching him for just a little while before I lean over and wake him. He doesn't seem to want to get up, but I want him to take me to his land, so I climb onto his back and tell him to get up and get dressed and he keeps protesting that he's up. He finally meets me out at his truck and we set off for his land. When we get there, we lean against the front of his truck and it's a beautiful spot, it nearly takes my breath away, it's so pretty. I can totally see him living here in a house he builds, and the thing is, I can see myself here too, and that's a scary thought. I don't confess any of that to him, but I simply say one thing to him. "Alaska, Tim?" and he just smiles at me.

I'm home in my bedroom, I haven't seen Tim since we made love, and I don't know when I will be able to face him. I know how easy it would be to give in to my feelings and stay here in Dillon with Tim because I love him. I just can't do that, but I WANT to, and that is the problem. I'm thinking about all of this when momma starts yelling for me to come out to the living room. Stevie is in her arms when I get there and Tim is standing in my living room and I'm not ready to see him so I talk to my nephew and causally say hi to Tim. I know he's probably hurt by this, but I just am not ready to deal with all of this. I walk over to the couch next to where Tim is sitting in the chair and sit down. Tim asks me what I am doing the next night and I tell him I have plans with Matt and Julie to go to Buddy's and then tell him that they got engaged and he can't believe it either. Momma comes back with the baby and says he needs to be changed, so I take the out and relieve my mother and get away from Tim too. I can feel his disappointment when he says he will see me at Buddy's then and I casually say of course, but I can't deal with his emotions yet. I need to figure out how I feel first.

I'm sitting at a table with Matt and Julie when Tim comes over with three beers, a bottle of Jack Daniels and some other assorted drinks. We all laugh and grab a bottle and we toast Mr. and Mrs. Saracen. Tim and I then make a little fun of Matt for proposing at the Alamo Freeze and I comment on how crazy life is and how they're engaged and I'm half through college and doing awesome and Tim chimes in with he's out for good behavior and we all clink our bottles together, Tim drinking straight from the Jack Daniels bottle, which concerns me a bit. Matt drags Julie to the dance floor and Tim holds a hand out to me asking me to dance. I bite my lip and wait a minute before sliding my hand into his, and we make our way to the dance floor. Tim pulls me into his arms and it's perfect. Tim tells me this feels right, and while I agree with him, I tell him he's just lonely, because I need to be strong and remember my dreams. Tim tells me he's not just lonely and I know he's being honest with me, but I have to tell him I can't do this with him again, and I know I am hurting him, but as much as I love him, I owe it to myself to finish college. I tell him I have plans and he tries to lighten the mood by joking that he doesn't, but we get very quiet for the rest of the dance and I just lay my head on his shoulder and he holds me tight with his hands at my waist. I know I've hurt him, but what he probably doesn't know is that this is killing me too.

I know this isn't the smartest thing I've ever done, but I will be going back to school soon, and I need to see Tim again before I go. I can't leave things the way we did. I call Tim and ask him to pick me up and take me back to his land. He immediately agrees. I spend the time before he picks me up thinking about what I will say to him. We gather our things when we get out of the truck and walk to the spot where the land is level and Tim puts the cooler down and we set up our chairs. While we were walking I started to tell him what I was planning on doing with my life and I made him promise not to laugh when I told him I was thinking politics, but of course, he's Tim Riggins, so he had to laugh and I called him on that and then he asked if I meant like Sarah Palin and that just pissed me off, so I called him an ass and was like, really? Of ALL people? I explained that I meant more like Mrs. T., but on a bigger scale. He seems supportive and tells me he can see me doing that. He opens the cooler and I quietly say his name. He looks up at me and I confess that I've been in love with him since I was five and that I haven't felt this good in so long and he immediately tells me he feels the same. I tell him it scares the hell out of me, and he holds my gaze as I tell him I have dreams. Tim tells me he knows I do and that he has dreams too, and tells me he is going to build a house where we are sitting and get a job and stay out of prison for the rest of his life. I smile at this and I know he means it. Then Tim tells me that maybe one day our dreams can merge together. I smile a little wider and think about it, and I realize how much I want it. Tim hands me a beer and holds his out for me to toast and I twist the cap off and clink my bottle to his. I'm comfortable with leaving him now. I know I will be back and I know he will be waiting for me when I am.

We stay together on Tim's land for awhile longer and then gather our things to leave. I don't really want to leave him, but it has to be done. Tim drives me home,and when we get there, he surprises me by coming around to my side and opening the door for me. I slide my hand into his and he walks me to the door. Tim looks at me for a minute and then he tells me that he will be here waiting for me when I'm done school if I decide that is what I want. I don't make any promises,and Tim doesn't ask for one. I wrap my arms around him and he leans into me burying his face in my neck. I pull back a little and bring my lips to his,and it's a kiss filled with a promise of what might be someday. I'm pretty sure I will be back for him someday. Tim leaves me, with a promise to keep in touch with me over the next two years. I smile at him and wave as he leaves the driveway and I go into the house.


End file.
